Collapsible crate.



F. H. lVIcLAIN.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.s.1912.

Patented @1113, 1915.

Swvewtoz 7 TQH QM L THE NORkls PETERS ca, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. r

JE'INIS H. MCLAIN, 0F UNIVERSITY PLACE, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALFTO WILLIAM A. SELLECK, OF LINCOLN, NEBRA$KA.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

masses.

Specification of Letters Batent.

Application filed August 3, 1912. Serial No. 713,098."

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Finis l-I. MCLAIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at University Place, in thecounty of Lancaster and States of Nebraska, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in C01- lapsible Crates; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements incollapsible shipping crates, and my prime object among others, is toprovide a crate of the character described which is of very light,though rigid and strong construction, and adapted to be employed inshipping fruits, berries, vegetables, bakers and grocers products andc0mmodities, also laundry; this construction being applicable in boxesor baskets for the accommodation of all kinds of merchandise, and formany other purposes; it being understood that the crates may be made invarious shapes and sizes to meet all require ments of shippers and otherpersons.

A. further object of my invention, among others, is to provide ashipping crate formed of extremely light material which may be reliablyreinforced on the edges, centers of weaker portions thereof, so as toattain a maximum degree of strength.

@ther objects and advantages may be made clearly apparent from thefollowing specifications considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, which are made a part of this application and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved crate complete, readyfor use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the parts of the crate ina folded position. Fig.

3 is a perspective view showing the parts of the crate as partiallyknocked down or folded. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on anenlarged scale through the crate. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View ofthe pre ferred form of lock and seal employed by me to hold the top inposition and also for holding the sides and end intact, and whereby thecrates may be reliably locked and sealed, as desired, and, Fig. 6 is adetail sectional view through one of the hinges employed.

Referring in detail to the various features of my invention andcooperating accessories, numerals will be employed, and referring tosaid sides and ends.

the numerals on the drawings, 7 is the base member which is providedwith upwardly extending sides and ends 8 and 9 respectively, said endsand sides being of proper height, and the meeting edges of said sidesand ends and also the base are bound by angle strips or reinforcingmembers 11, which extend slightly under the base and upward on thesides, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. The upper edges of the side andend walls, 8 and 9, are provided with a wire 12 extending therearound,which is held in place by a channel strip 13, secured thereover, thesides of said strip extending downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 4;.

The mainand movable side 14 and end sections 15 of my crate are hingedlysecured to the sides'and ends of the base in a man ner hereinafter moreclearly set forth and are reinforced around their edges by the channelstrips 16, which are bent thereover, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. Thesides and end walls of the crate and the base and also the top are allformed of thin strips of board, papier-mach, fiber board, or othersuitable material. The sidesand ends 14 and 15, respectively, are eachprovided upon said wires, as shown in detail in Fig. l, and

said wires and loops form double hinges for The ends of the crate are ofa width equal to the distance between the inner surface of the sides ofthe crate. so that said ends may be folded inwardly between said sidesand the sides then folded thereon. The top 19 is provided with a rightanglestrip 20 around its edges which is adapted to fit down around theside and end walls of the crate and in order that the sides and endwalls will be prevented from collapsing when thetop is in place, Iprovide the top upon its lower surface with an angle'strip 21,'which isspaced from the depending portion of the strip 20 a distance equal tothe width of the sides and ends and their reinforcing strips 16.

The top of the crate when placed in the "position indicated in Figs. 1and 4 is adapt- Patented Apr. is, rare.

on the side, I desire it to be understood that like securing devices orclasps may be placed upon the end sections thereof. Attention is alsocalled to the fact that in the center of the box at the position aboutwhere the clasp 23 is located, there may be a strip of corrugated ironor other suitable material of proper width, and up and down the side aswell as upon the bottom and all of these outside reinforcing metalstrips are preferably corrugated in character and designed to add greatstrength to the crate at its weakest points.

While in the drawings, I have shown the securing clasp as located uponthe sides, it will be understood that the location thereof may be variedas by being placed upon the end sections, if deemed preferable.

In the drawings, I have shown a plurality of plates 21 each providedwith a pivoted keeper 22. The top of the box and sides or end sectionsas the case may be, have each secured thereto a plate 24 which isriveted or otherwise secured to the outer surface of the box at anydesired point, either on the end or sides as stated, it being understoodthat said plates may be reliably attached in place by screws, rivets orthe like. A. hasp 23 pivoted to the plate- 24: has an elongated openingtherein adapted to receive a pivoted keeper 22, when the same is turnedupwardly and after said keeper has been directed through said openingand then turned downwardly, it presents a hook like cooperation with thehasp and will prevent the casual disengagement therefrom, it beingunderstood that the keeper 22 may be attached to a lock orseal. The endand side walls of the base can be also provided, each with a keeper 22(or said parts may be otherwise located), so that when the sides 14 andends 15 are folded downwardly as when it is desired to ship the crate ina knocked down condition, the hasps are engaged therewith to lock theparts of the crate in a folded compact form.

By employing the O-shaped loops 17 as hinged connection between thesides and ends of the crate and the base walls, it will be seen that theends or other sections when folded down, may be disposed below the upperedges of the base walls and the remaining parts may then be foldedthereover and one of them may assume the position flush with saidsideand the other slightly above so that when thus folded the side sectionswill be disposed substantially parallel with each other while the foldededges will each rest at an incline, an edge of one section resting onthe bottom or base 7, while the corresponding edge of the other foldedend section rests on the previously folded end section.

In employing my improved shipping crate for transporting eggs, it isdesirable to use suitable fillers of the usual or any preferredconstruction and obviously said fillers thus employed may be readilyfolded and disposed of in the base section or bottom compartment priorto folding down the side and end walls, thus insuring a very compactlyfolded receptacle.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing specifications considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings that I have pro vided areliably efiicient shipping crate designed for a multitudinous number ofuses and which may be cheaply and expeditiously manufactured and whenformed will be found to be possessing great strength and rigidity,thereby insuring a long life of usefulness for my invention.

It will further be seen that I have provided a very useful and ellicientform of hinged connection between the end walls and base member, saidhinges consisting essentially of a piece of suitable sheet metal bent insuch a manner as to engage the contiguous edges of the base member andside and end walls, thus permitting the connected parts to be readilyfolded inward and outward as desired.

As before stated, it is obvious that the location of the securingdevices for the lid section both in a folded and unfolded condition maybe varied so as to be located at any part as upon the ends or side wallsand while I have described the preferred construction and combination ofparts deemed necessary in carrying out my invention, I desire tocomprehend in this application such substantial equivalents andsubstitutes as fall fairly in the scope of my invention.

My improved shipping crate may be readily locked and sealed and foldedor unfolded ready for use or ready for return shipment, so as to occupya minimum amount of space.

What I claim as new is 1. A collapsible crate including a shallow boxlike base, side walls hinged to the corresponding sides of said base,end walls hinged to the corresponding ends of said base, all of saidwalls being adapted to fold into the space i'nclosed by said baseportion and all of said hinges being of such construction as to spacethe pivoted ends of the movable walls from the upper ends of thevertical base walls when the former are moved into their substantiallyhorizontal position, a top, a short inner guide strip secured to theunder face of said top, a longer outer guide strip likewise securedthereto in order to secure the top upon the end walls and side walls,said inner guide strips being adapted to be above the space between saidmovable walls and said base walls when the former are folded down and torest upon said hinges, and the outer strips being adapted to embrace thewalls of said box like base.

2. In a collapsible crate, the combination memes With a shallow lOOXlike base, of foldable Walls connected to the corresponding sides ofsaid base, said Walls being adapted to fold in the space inclosed bysaid base portion, hinges connecting said foldable Walls With said baseWalls, said hinges including channel strips inclosing the upper edges ofsaid base Walls, further channel strips inclosing the lower edges ofsaid foldable Walls, Wire disposed between said edges and said channelstrips for each set of Walls, and endless bands linking the Wires of oneset to the Wires of the other in such manner that When said movableWalls are folded into their substantially horizontal position, a spaceWill be left therebetween and said base Walls, a top, a short innerguide strip secured to said top, a longer outer guide strip similarlysecured and spaced from said first strip, to embrace the upper edges ofsaid foldable Walls when the crate is assembled, said shorter stripsbeing further adapted to lie above in said space between the foldableWalls and the base Walls upon said hinges, and said longer strip beingadapted to embrace said base Walls When the crate is collapsed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

FINIS H. MGLAIN.

Witnesses:

WILBER C. SUNDERLAND, M. F. LANGLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Fatents,

Washington, D. G.

